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Marc Trestman eager to start as Chicago Bears head coach

Marc Trestman says he has one of the best jobs in sports now that he is the Chicago Bears’ head coach, and he can’t wait to work with QB Jay Cutler

Marc Trestman was officially introduced as the Chicago Bears' new head coach on Thursday in the Windy City. (JEFF HAYNES / REUTERS)

By The Associated Press

Thu., Jan. 17, 2013

LAKE FOREST, ILL.—Marc Trestman insisted he has one of the best jobs in sports now that he is the Chicago Bears’ head coach, and he can’t wait to work with quarterback Jay Cutler.

He also emphasized a sense of urgency.

“This is clearly a franchise that has the highest expectations for its team, where winning consistently is a standard,” Trestman said Thursday at his introductory news conference.

He sees a big opportunity in working with Cutler, a strong-armed and mobile quarterback whose talent has never been in question even as the results haven’t always reflected that.

“I can’t wait to get my hands on him,” he said.

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Getting the most out of Cutler would go a long way toward invigorating a stagnant offence and getting the Bears to the playoffs on a consistent basis after they missed the post-season for the fifth time in six years. Those issues led to Lovie Smith’s firing, and the Bears turned to Trestman this week after an extensive search.

He spent the past five seasons coaching the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, leading them to two championships, and was a longtime NFL assistant known for his work with quarterbacks.

“Marc has a quietness to him, a quiet confidence, high level of intellect, those are attractive qualities,” general manager Phil Emery said. “The thing that was most remarkable that came out of his interviews and when discussing to people who Marc is was there is a heck of a football coach under all that quietness and confidence and intellect. Do not underestimate Marc Trestman as a competitor. He’s as tough-minded and football-oriented than anybody I’ve been around in 31 years in this game.”

Emery cited Trestman’s flexibility and success at various stops in the NFL and CFL.

He was an offensive co-ordinator with Cleveland, San Francisco, Arizona and Oakland. He worked with Bernie Kosar as an assistant at the University of Miami and again when he was on the Browns’ staff in the 1980s. Trestman helped the Raiders reach the Super Bowl at the end of the 2002 season with an offence he geared for Rich Gannon, the league’s MVP that year.

“He’s a champion, and now he’s the head football coach of the Chicago Bears,” Emery said.

One of Trestman’s most immediate tasks will be to build a connection with Cutler. They actually spent time together for a few days in North Carolina when the quarterback was coming out of Vanderbilt in 2006.

Trestman sidestepped the question.

He said Cutler “loves football” and “wants to do everything he can to help this franchise.” He added they’ll work with a “sense of urgency to get him to be the guy that he wants to be and we want him to be.” But he did not use that term — franchise quarterback.

“He wants Jay to earn that in his eyes,” said Emery, who has called Cutler a franchise QB. “I’m good with that.”

Cutler has one year left on his contract, and the Bears have to decide if he can lead them to the top. Since he arrived in Chicago in 2009, he’s taken a beating behind a struggling offensive line and lacked a go-to receiver until Brandon Marshall arrived this season.

He’ll also be working in his fourth system with the Bears, with Trestman calling the plays and newly hired Aaron Kromer now the offensive coordinator and line coach.

It’s not clear if the Bears will switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Trestman is open to change, but he also realizes the Bears’ defence ranked among the league’s best this year.

“They have excellent football players and they’ve been well-coached,” Trestman said.

Another issue on defence: Brian Urlacher’s future. The eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker has an expiring contract and missed the last four games with a hamstring injury after being limited by a knee problem.

“This guy’s been a great player for this team,” Trestman said. “I recognize, certainly, what he’s meant to this locker room and to the fan base of Chicago. When we get done here, we’ll begin to try to answer some of those questions.”

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